Haunted
by LovesOpheliac
Summary: Kaji Megami has always known that she can not let her guard down or else she would die. Her parents, dead. Her best friend, missing. Her own existence, unknown. But once she and a certain maroon haired boy come in contact, chaos is inevitable. Gaara x OC
1. A New Mission

A young woman, one who appeared to be about eighteen or so, stood in the trees of the Leaf Village forest just outside the gates to that same village, her only appearing to be about five feet tall and her body well developed already. The woman had bright red hues, something that was completely unnatural to anyone who looked at her; however she had grown accustom to them. Golden blonde hair flowed all around her, reaching to the bottom of her back and side bangs flowing across her face to emphasize the delicate heart shape that it was. Her skin was flawless, its color the most unnatural pale color that would make anyone think she had to be dead. Any man who saw her found her to be someone who was gorgeous until they looked into her deep hues and noticed the malice laced into them just before a smile would climb across her pale lips and their life ended. With a small sigh, the woman shook her head as she began to walk over to a black back pack that was on the ground just a few feet away, her steps so quiet and as graceful as a cat that she appeared to be a ghost. She wore a deep crimson tank top that cut off above her stomach, revealing an intricate tattoo on her side that read "Kaji" or "Fire" in Japanese. Black shorts that were tight around her thighs and gradually got looser before cutting off above her knees. Black ninja shoes were the only thing that clad her feet, no kunai pouhes visible on her.

Reaching over, the woman picked up her bag before swinging it over her pale shoulder, starting to walk off towards the gates of the village. It only took her a few moments before the entrance came into view, the two guards who were suppose to sit and keep watch fast asleep at their post. The site made the woman chuckle silently as she walked right past them, knowing the village was safe without them keeping watch simply because of her. Anyone who walked into the forest will ill intentions towards the village that lay before her died a quick, silent, and excruciatingly painful death, their body never to be found. Once she had strode past these men, her pale hands came in front of her chest as she performed a few hand signs, disappearing from sight as she appeared in the Hokage's office, her red gaze landing on the woman who was dead asleep on the table. There were papers everywhere and an empty bottle of sake on the edge of the table, a full glass still sitting within reach of the woman's hand. She resisted the urge to chuckle at the sight, instead choosing to cough rather loudly to awake the woman.

A slight grumble could be heard as Lady Tsunade jumped at the cough, looking about rather confused and causing papers to fly across the room. When she looked up, there was a single lotto ticket stuck to her face, her eyes clouded with confusion as she growled upon seeing Kaji stand before her.

"Dear Kami woman, it can't be later than eight and your already waking me?"

"It is actually seven o'clock Hokage-sama and I apologize for waking you. You told me to be bright and early approximately a week ago for this meeting. I am to receive a new assignment."

"Yeah, I know Kaji. Hang on."

In front of the people she considered of importance, Kaji was a little angel; she was polite in every way. Of course that didn't stop her thoughts from cursing out the irritable woman, knowing fully that she knew that she was suppose to be here at this time. Grumbling and cursing quietly, Lady Tsunade stood up and trudged over to the filing cabinet in the corner of the room, a key slipping out of her pocket and into her hand as the cabinet slid open, her pulling out a vanilla envelope and slamming the cabinet shut. Kaji simply stood silent, awaiting these new orders as Tsunade dropped the file on her desk, opening it to reveal several blank pages. Biting her thumb and pressing it to the paper, words suddenly filled every sheet, Tsunade reaching up to hand them to Kaji as she grumbled.

"Here is your assignment. You are to go to Suna and receive the Kazekage's signature for the final peace agreement that will seal a permanent deal between our villages. I chose you for the job since nobody is to see these documents, not even my most trusted ANBU."

Kaji's eyes scanned over the papers in her hands, her letting out a small sigh as she placed the useless papers in the envelope and walked to the cabinet, putting them in their proper place before closing it once more and locking it. That specific cabinet was one that only the Hokage's had permission to go through, one that contained secret information about the village and that only the Hokage could access. Some of this information was about information, but the most interesting was Kaji's own personal information.

"Hai Hokage-sama. I shall deliver these by midnight and have them stamped. I expect to be home before seven o'clock tomorrow morning. Please do not fret."

"I won't Kaji; now get your ass out of my office."

"Hai."

A smirk across her lips, Kaji rolled up the only paper she kept in her hands, the one the Kazekage needed to sign to make the treaty official. She then placed it in her bag before she preformed hand signs identical to earlier, disappearing from sight as the Hokage groaned in frustration and slammed her head on the desk.

"Stupid girl interrupting my beauty sleep."


	2. Meeting the Kazekage

The current time was two o'clock in the afternoon according to the sun. It had been five hours since Kaji had left the village and there was only a single hour until she would arrive in the village. She was able to cut the trip down from three days to a simply six hours, something that would put any shinobi to shame if they saw her make the journey.

_Thank Kami Tsunade sent me to Suna instead of the Lady of Snow. If I had to go there again I think I would murder the woman._

_**Aw, why thank you Kaji. Though I cannot control the old bat's actions.**_

_Shut up Kami. I was speaking of the God Kami, not of you._

_**Same thing.**_

_Shut up._

_**As you wish.**_

Kaji let out a small sigh as she continued on her run, her red hues never leaving the desert sand as she continued to run as fast as she could. It was another half hour or so until she saw the large town before her, seeing it come into sight as she smiled brightly.

Finally, Kaji came to a halt in her running as she threw her bag to the ground, rummaging through it as she pulled out a black coat and an ANBU mask. The clock was slipped over her pale shoulders, the entirety of it covering everything but her hands and stretching down to her ankles. The mask that she slipped over her face was made of porcelain and the most of it was as white as snow, but a blood red color created intricate designs across it; the mask itself resembled that of a cat.

Once she was in her proper attire, minus her head band which Tsunade would often scream at her over, she preformed the familiar hand signs she knew, appearing in the office of the Kazekage. The room was painted a dull color, dark wood furniture decorated the office and papers were scattered everywhere. It looked as though a tornado had hit the small room, but Kaji knew it was simply the old men who did not wish to do their own work.

In that same instant, sand shot up from the ground and wrapped its way up Kaji's legs to her hands, holding them to her side and beginning to squeeze her until her skin turned red. Kaji squeezed her eyes shut from the sudden feeling, knowing this was not the Kazekage she was use to.

_Correction, the Kazekage I am use to dealing with is dead, meaning there is a new one that stands before me today._

With a silent sigh, she opened up her bright red eyes to look at the man that was sitting at the desk, only a mop of dark red hair visible to her. Her interest began to peak, her wondering who this new boy of power was. It took him a moment to finally look up, placing the final touches on whatever document he was currently working on. His sea form eyes were the next thing she noticed, her only though how gorgeous they were, but that thought was kept silent as he stared at the foreign ANBU officer that stood before him, trapped like a fly in a Venus fly trap.

"Who are you?"

Silence was her only response.

"Again, who are you?"

Again, silence. She was not about to answer this man simply because he requested it, her keeping as quiet as she could as she felt the sand climb up higher to cover her stomach and start to rummage through her bag. A few of her daggers were pulled out followed by the document that she had placed in her bag. The document was slowly pulled over into his hands, Kaji never fighting back since it was his to look at and sign anyways. He spent a few moments reviewing the document, reading it over before signing it and leaving it on his desk. What surprised Kaji was that his next move was to stand and walk towards her, standing in front of her as he stared at her with emotionless eyes. He slowly leaned in to whisper in her ear:

"What is your name girl? I know that you have one so it is your choice, your name of your mask then your name."

_Asshole._

Being the stubborn girl she was, Kaji remained silent, her eyes staring at him through the mask as his pale hand raised to grip the side of it. It was as though he was the parent giving their child until the count of three to tell the truth. He waited about thirty seconds, realizing she would remain silent as his sand slithered up her body and covered her chest, him ripping the mask from her face so he could see it.

_Like I said asshole._

She silently cursed the man in her mind, his mind taking in every feature of her face, the face that would come to haunt him.

He stood there for a few minutes, remaining silent as his sand started to squeeze her body, leaving red patches across her skin.

"Name."

She was suddenly squeezed until she could feel her bones bending, but she showed no sign of pain as she finally uttered it to him.

"Kaji Megami."

To anyone's ears, her voice was something musical, a bell like sound that could entrance even the strongest of men. The Kazekage nodded as a response, simply walking back to his desk as he sat down and his green gaze returned to his documents, the sand releasing the young woman as she let out a silent sigh, shocked he didn't have a comment about the meaning of her name;_ Fire Goddess_.

_I swear to Kami if I would have had to have been trapped for another five seconds I would have ripped his head from his body and-_

**Oh hush stupid girl and get the document.**

_Nobody asked your opinion._

_**Like I need an invitation. Now let's hurry.**_

The Kazekage had not looked up at the woman as she silently stepped forward, taking the document and rolling it back up so she could send it off.

"Arigato Kazekage-sama. I shall send the document off and be gone within the hour. I simply need a refill in my water."

Silence was her response as she stared at him, eventually grabbing her mask off his desk and turning to walk away. Once she reached the door though, a wall of sand shot up and locked her in, a clear sign he was not quite done speaking to her.

"No, you shall send the document away, but you will be staying in Suna for the next week. I wish to…observe you so to speak. I will inform Tsunade."

_Mother fucking ass-_

_**Stupid girl shut up and stay. You have an excuse to stay somewhere warm for the next week and not go back to hiding. I suggest you take it and run.**_

"Hai Kazekage-sama. I will find a hotel and rent a room for the next week."

"…No. You will stay at the Kazekage Palace for the next week. It is a mile north of here."

"Hai."

Their conversation complete, the sand fell to the ground once more, Kaji wordlessly opening the door and walking outside the door. She finally allowed an audible sigh to escape her lips, now fully irritated by the Kazekage whom she had know for a little under five minutes.

_Such an ass. I swear, if he wasn't the Kazekage I would have punched him in the face about ten minutes ago._

**_Haha, very funny Kaji. You didn't know him ten minutes ago._**

_Did I ask for your opinion?_

Shaking her head, Kaji wondered what she was to do with the annoying voice in the back of her mind, the thing that never seemed to go away. She had to admit though, some days she enjoyed having someone to speak with.

Silently, Kaji slowly crouched down, placing the scroll that was the peace treaty in front of here. Her pale hand rose to her mouth as she bit her thumb, red liquid streaming down her hand as she began to circle on the ground around the document. With her bloodied hand, she began performing a jutsu that sent the document to the cabinet in the Hokage's office before she stood and walked away, headed to her temporary home as she wiped the blood away onto her pants, the crimson liquid vanishing into the black material.

From inside the office, the Kazekage Gaara sat there for a moment, the smell of blood filling his senses as he stood up and walked up to the door. Shukaku started to thrash around in his mind, driving him to go open the door. Once he did, he spotted the circle of blood, feeling the urge to swipe some across his finger and place it in his mouth. Inside his mind Shukaku growled in anger, Gaara simply pushing it to the back of his mind as he walked back to his office.

_Strange girl._


	3. Meeting the Family

The wind blew silently through Suna, blonde hair whipping around Kaji's face as she moved through the dusty streets. It was a busy day today, many people hustling through the market place as they bought what they needed and hurried home to escape the blazing heat. If she had her way, she would have basked in the heat all day long, but instead she knew she had to report to the Kazekage's Palace right away so she could set up her new room before she could go out and explore. This was definitely something she was not looking forward to.

Before she had left, she had put her mask and clock in her back pack, now carrying the image of a normal Suna citizen since she did not carry a head band. Most people probably thought she was someone knew to town, but she could have cared less as to what they thought. Quietly, she stalked through the streets, headed up the mile she needed to reach the home. It was only five minutes later that she arrived at the large house, though she was not shocked by its appearance. It was a large two story home, one that was decorated elegantly with so many designs it looked as though it took a generation to build it. The outside of the home had actual plants growing around it, beautiful desert flowers that were the rarest of its kind. With a smile sigh escaping her lips, Kaji slowly pushed the door open and entered.

Her eyes took in the extravagant lay out as she slipped across the living room and past the kitchen to the stairs and then to the bedroom section of the home. Using chakara sensors, she located the closest room that nobody occupied, finding herself standing in front of a dark oak door that eventually led to a gray room with furniture that matched the door. There was not much to the small room; a simple twin sized bed, a single armoire and desk that were just big enough for her to lay out any documents she would need to go over. Long white curtains covered the only window in the room, making her sigh as she walked over to it and opened curtains, letting in the bright light that allowed her to smile. The sun was always her favorite part of her day, making her feel as though she was truly alive and warming her freezing skin. One thing about having such pale skin was that she was constantly freezing, the sun helping to warm her up when she stood in it. She swiftly used her fingers to pry the window open, allowing herself to take a breath of fresh air into her lungs and clear out the room from the stuffy dust.

_I guess this will have to do for now. At least it is better than a hotel room._

_**True, True. Though I do not wish to be anywhere near that jinchuriki Kazekage.**_

_You will get over it._

Another sigh slipping her pale lips Kaji picked up her black backpack and started to put its contents away, her mask being hidden in a bottom drawer of the armoire and her clock hung up inside of it. The rest of her stuff was simply daggers and other weapons, something she did not care about as she threw them into the main part of the large chest and slammed the doors, causing a yell to be heard from a room across the hall followed by heavy footsteps. Instincts kicked in as she hid behind the armoire, a dagger being pulled from the inside of her right pant leg and held so she could strike a blow that would kill.

_Patience. Just wait._

A long minute went by, the door suddenly being thrown open and rattling the room as a boy clad in black tried to sneak into the room, Kaji letting out a silent giggle as she watched him from the reflection in the window's glass. He appeared confused at first, staring at the open window until a dagger flew by his head, embedding itself in the wall just a centimeter from his face. He quickly looked where the dagger came from, seeing the small blonde crouched on top of the armoire, another dagger in her hand as she hissed at him.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I should ask you the same thing Kitty Boy."

"Kitty Boy? You bitch."

Another growl slipped the woman's lips as she was suddenly on top of him, her dagger to his throat as she tilted her head in curiosity, red eyes staring into his own. At this point, Kankuro was done insulting the woman, instead enjoying the position as he smirked up at her.

"Well sexy, if I knew you played this game I would have ran into you earlier."

"Sicko."

The two glared at each other for a moment, Kankuro, the boy she sat on top of, clearly enjoying the fact that he had a woman sitting on top of him even though she threatened to slit his throat in a moment's notice. His eyes were trained on a place she prefered he stop staring at, her letting out a now feral growl before the room fell into silence, each of them evaluating their weaknesses or strengths.

Not a word was spoke, only their quiet breathing evident as a monotone voice suddenly filled their senses.

"Kaji, off. Kankuro, stop trying to rape our guest with your eyes."

Upon hearing the Kazekage's orders, Kaji stood up and bowed respectfully, muttering a "Hai" as Kankuro's face flushed and he jumped up.

"Oi! I was not staring down her shirt! I was admiring her-"

"He never said you were staring down my shirt."

"I never said I was staring down-"

Kaji quickly silenced the imbecile, striking him in the head with the handle of her dagger as he fell to the floor, a large lump forming on his head as she snickered. Gaara stood in the doorway to the bedroom, Temari running out of her room and standing beside Gaara as she peered inside.

"Wait, what is going on? Who is she Kankuro?"

"Gaara's guest."

_Ah, so Gaara is the great Kazekage's name. Well now I won't have to deal with the nagging sensation in the back of my head that keeps asking who the hell he is._

"Oh, well why is she here?"

Temari, strangely taking a quiet tone, looked over at her youngest brother with some curiosity, wondering why in Kami's name this woman was standing in their house. Gaara's deadly glare turned to stare at his sister, her gulping as she looked at Kankuro and Kaji for help.

"My name is Kaji and I am an ANBU operative here to seal an agreement with two villages. The Kazekage has requested that I stay in this home for the next week. I will not be much trouble, as silent as possible. I will also cook whenever it is a meal time if I am inside the home. I apologize for-"

"Don't apologize."

"H-Hai."

Between all of them, the two that were the Kazekage's relatives exchanged an apprehensive look before filing out of the room, going back to whatever they were doing. The Kazekage and Kaji were the only two left, Gaara staring at the girl as she walked over to the door and pulled her dagger from the wood. He continued to stare in curiosity as she leaned down and slipped the dagger back into place inside her pant leg, the second being placed with it. She was obviously one who did not enjoy showing that she was armed, something that Gaara had not seen before. For a moment, the two stared at each other, neither saying a word.

"Do you need anything Kazekage-sama?"

More silence, him simply staring her down as Kami growled in the back of Kaji's mind in a guarding manner, wanting her to run for some odd reason. All Kaji could do was push the voice to the back of her mind, wishing for her to shut up already.

"Yes. There is money in the jar downstairs in the cupboard. Go get some and buy what you need for your stay. I would suggest night clothing and another change or two of day clothes that is all."

"Hai Kazekage-sama"

Gaara nodded at the girl as he turned to leave, pausing right before he went to go back to his office to finish the nightly paperwork.

"Oh, and my name is Gaara."

"Hai Gaara-sama."

Her red hues following his every move, she watched silently as he walked away, sighing loudly as she slowly started to exit the room. She expected him to be standing right there, but instead all she saw was sand strewn across the floor, making her shake her head as she started to walk down the stairs. Once downstairs, she got the money she needed and exited the house, going back out into the warm sun and sighing in content as it began to warm her body. She could get use to this but she would have to go back home eventually.


	4. Demons & Dinner

Sighing heavily, Gaara sat down in the chair at his desk, his eyes scanning over the horizon that his now open window revealed. His mind was stuck on the woman who now resided in his home, the one he had order to stay there. At first, he was simply entranced by her, wanting to learn more about her since she seemed to be so odd. However, when he tasted her blood, he knew for sure that something was wrong, Shukaku screaming in his mind. His sea foam eyes closed as his demon appeared before his vision, growling quietly as he started down his jinchuriki.

_**That girl's blood reveals she has a demon.**_

_Why do I care?_

_**You care because that demon is deadly. You care because I know that demon.**_

_I do not care to be honest._

_**That bitch, she's suppose to be dead.**_

_What's got you so upset over her demon? It's a demon and though I know you don't exactly get along, you've never been this worked up over one._

_**I care because that demon was my mate.**_

The words that slowly echoed in Gaara's mind caused him to shake his head in disbelief, wondering still why Shukaku cared. Even if this woman's demon was suppose to be his apparently dead mate, it didn't matter anymore. She was suppose to be dead and maybe Shukaku was simply wrong and was mistaking the demon for another.

_Wait why the hell do I care?_

Growling in irritation, Gaara pushed the demon to the back part of his mind, ignoring him as he went back to finishing the last of his paperwork so he could go home for the night.

* * *

Across the town, Kaji was wondering around the market place, three bags in her arms as she headed back to the Kazekage's Palace. It had been about five hours, making it now seven o'clock at night. That would give her just enough time to cook a proper meal with the ingredients she had bought. In the bags, Kaji had one with food, one with clothes, and one with some under garments. She did not want to spend too much of money that was not her own, only getting what was necessary. Kaji was just one of those people that felt it was wrong to take what was not hers.

Once at her temporary home, Kaji put her clothes in her armoire upstairs, going back downstairs to prepare a meal. It was not thirty minutes later that Temari came downstairs, staring at the kitchen table where place settings were out for three, a large bowl of salad in the middle of the table alone with a bowl of spaghetti, three kinds of sauces, and some sausage. Kaji was standing over the oven, an apron over her clothes and her hair pulled into a messy pony tail as she removed a plate of garlic bread from the oven and placed it on the table as well.

"Kaji-san, you did not have to do all this."

"I am a guess in your home; it is my honor to cook for you."

With a small smile, the girl picked up a piece of bread and put it on the plate that had been set aside next to the sink where there was also some spaghetti. Temari felt it odd that this girl had set out a separate plate, but did not question it as she sat down to a delicious meal. Kankuro soon ran downstairs, smelling the food and jumping on making his own plate.

"For the love of Kami! Kaji, I would do anything for you if you continue this!"

"I shall Kitty Boy."

Laughing at Kankuro as he resisted the urge to growl at Kaji over her new nickname she had created for him since he loated it so much, Kaji simply shook her head as she got out a small tray and placed her own food on it, moving so she could go eat in the other room.

"Kaji-san, why are you not eating with us?"

"I am not a part of your family so there is no need for me to eat with you."

"No! Come eat with us."

Staring at Temari with apprehensive eyes, Kaji nodded as she moved to place her food on the table next to a Kankuro who was shoveling food down as fast as he could. The blonde rolled her red eyes as she sighed, putting the tray away and picking up an extra bowl to get some salad for herself. As she was walking back to the table though, Kaji slipped on some sand that suddenly appeared in the room, the glass bowl shattering as it smashed against the girl's leg, dark crimson liquid known as blood to drip from her leg. Temari let out a shocked gasp as she stared at the wounded girl, Kankuro pausing mid shovel as an emotionless Gaara stared down at the girl who sat on the floor as well.

From her position, Kaji simply blinked, staring at the blood that poured from her wound and wondering how she had not noticed the sand. Her thin blood was always a problem for her, causing her to bleed profusely instead of it clotting like a normal person. A slight growl could be heard from Gaara as he stared at the blood on her leg, the girl only sighing as she picked up the pieces of the shattered glass in her hand, reforming the glass bowl into a perfect shape with nothing more than her hands. She then stood, placing it on the table with a small smile and ignoring the blood that was slowly dripping down her leg. Now it was Kankuro's turn to stare at Kaji with shock instead of just dumbfounedly, stuttering as he stared at the bowl, Gaara still staring at the blood that dripped down her leg.

"H-How the hell d-did you do that Kaji?"

"Glass it easily formed with heat, so I reformed the glass using my control over fire."

"That's…amazing!'

Smiling lightly, Kaji simply thanked him quietly for his complement before getting up to go wash her leg off, a small pool of her blood on the floor. She didn't look at it though, simply going upstairs. In the kitchen though, Gaara's eyes were locked on the blood, taking in the scent until he shook his head, leaving the room hastily and going up to his room.

Kankuro and Temari stared at each other oddly once more before Kankuro went back to shoveling food, Temari looking over at the floor to see if she needed a rag or a towel to clean the now nonexistent blood. It appeared as though the sand had absorbed it before following Gaara upstairs, Temari shaking her head in disbelief before going back to eating.

Gaara was in his room, staring at his sand in questioning as he growled, Shukaku satisfied with the taste of blood and Gaara frustrated. After eating, Kankuro was in his room as well as Temari, the food left out so Kaji could eat. Once Kaji had bandaged her leg, she appeared down stairs using her ANBU stealth where she silently cleaned and put everything away, and then taking her meal upstairs to eat as she had planned.

_So much for a first impression I suppose. At least Kankuro and Temari enjoyed the meal though._

_Annoying girl with her delicious blood. There is something wrong with you and I am going to figure it out._


	5. A Secret Past

**Wow is all I have to say. I recieved seven reviews in less than twenty four hours! I would like to thank GEMfaire and BattyBigSister for your amazing reviews in such a short amount of time. Special thanks goes to BattyBigSister especially since she gave some insite on what to do to improve. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Things are about to get interesting to say the least.**

* * *

It was close to midnight, the skies of Suna covered in a blanket of stars shining brightly, contrasting the black color that was painted across the night. In the Kazekage household, all were asleep, or at least it was assumed so. The Kazekage was the only one awake, that thanks to his lovely demon that threatened to kill everyone in the house, no town, if he was to go to sleep. In the bedroom next to the Kazekage's the young ANBU operative was sound asleep, her wearing the same tank top as before and a pair of cotton shorts. Her blonde hair was a matted mess around her head, her red eyes closed as she slept soundly. The blankets that she was suppose to have over her were thrown onto the floor, but she didn't notice as she continued to dream peacefully, not a care in the world.

For hours, Gaara had been sitting in his room meditating as an excuse for sleep and listening to the soft breathing of the girl that was dead asleep in the room just next to his. He was curious as to when she would be waking up, but from the sounds of it she was going to be asleep for a very long time. For another five minutes, he listened to her soft breathing, contemplating different things about her, until he finally gave up staying away, using his sand to appear next to her. The older man gazed down at the young kinoshi, his face blank as he observed her. Slowly, he reached down and took a strand of her blonde hair in his hand, noting the softness and lightness of it. The Kazekage was rather amazed by the young girl, noting how the moon light illuminated her face, almost like an angel. He stood there for another five minutes or so simply watching her until his eyes gazed over her shoulders and what little of her back was showing, actual shock filling him as he noticed that in the moon light, little invisible scars could be made out across her back and shoulders. He began to wonder about how they got there, but the first logical thing that appeared in his mind was that she received them while on a mission. With a silent sigh, his gaze continued to take the girl in, next landing on the black mark on her side. He wondered how he had not seen it earlier, the curious mark that contrasted her pale skin so clearly, his sea foam eyes retaining an ounce of curiosity as his hand moved to brush over the mark in order to see if it was really a tattoo or a scar like the symbol of love on his forehead. However, the second his hand came in contact with the mark on her side, black flashed before his eyes, a new scene unfolding before him.

_A lush green island unfolded before the eyes of those watching, a dense forest filled with life and trees that sprouted up to well over a hundred feet tall. In the midst of this forest laid a waterfall with a cave behind it, one that was large and grand. It was there where two of the most unlikely, no, unusual of things lived. The demon, Shukaku, was seen walking toward the area, him in the form of a man of about twenty with sandy brown hair and bright yellow eyes. This man was of a muscular build with purple tattoos across his arm and a serious stance that made it look like he could kill anyone who walked by on the spot. As he stood there, looking at the waterfall, a figure could be seen moving behind the water before emerging, this person a woman. The woman, to say the least, was gorgeous. She had long, fiery red hair that cascaded down her back with pale skin. Her grace was amazing as she jumped from rock to rock to meet the raccoon demon, never missing a step as she flung her slender arms around his neck, planting a kiss upon his cheek with a small giggle. Her eyes were what gave away her true identity though, one green and one yellow, the eyes of Baneneko, the two tailed beast._

_For several moments, the two seemed to do nothing more than hold each other, though Shukaku's affection was expressed in a more subtle way than that of the woman's. However, not five seconds later, the woman could be seen falling to her knees, groaning in pain as blood spilled from her side, a hiss of dissatisfaction echoing through the trees. Shukaku's eyes scanned over her hastily, spotting an arrow lodge in her side and laced with poison. This caused the sand demon to growl in a low feral voice, his eyes flickering to the site where a man stood, his bow cocked with a second arrow and ready to fire. He never received the chance to though, sand shooting up and engulfing the man as Shukaku took on his true demon form, roaring over the forest as more men appeared. They began shooting at Shukaku though, attempting to diminish his strength as a priest appeared in the shadows, a tea kettle in his hands as he began to chant something that weakened him. The sight of someone attempting to capture him made him almost laugh, that is until he heard the scream emit from the woman bleeding to death on the ground._

_Blood stained the white dress she wore, it flowing out at a massive pace due to thin blood. Her face was weak already, but she struggled to stay awake and revert to a demon form. One of the largest men was holding her in his arms, stabbing her through the heart with a dagger as her body fell limp and Shukaku let out a roar of what they considered anger, but was filled with that of sorrow. This simple act would start a war between Shukaku and these humans, him attempting to kill everyone, starting with the man holding the dagger. Within ten minutes, all lay dead except the priest, Shukaku's chakara completely depleted as he growled and struggled to remain up. The last sight he would see though before he vanished into the tea kettle was the body of the Baneneko being dragged away, dead._

The vision coming to an abrupt halt, Gaara seemed to pant as he stared at the girl who was still asleep, her mumbling as she rolled over. The only thing he could think at the moment was that the vision he just saw indicated that this woman held the demon in which Shukaku was speaking of, that being what triggered the memory. There was only one flaw with this plan though, that the woman in the memory was dead and that if this girl had the demon, that meant it was alive.

In a blur of sand, Gaara was gone from the room once again, Kaji never awaking through the whole process.

Now, Gaara stood in his office, pulling books from the shelves hastily as Shukaku grumbled in his mind.

_**I told you it was her!**_

_How could it be here? That demon clearly died._

_**How would I know? It was her though, I know that she possess the two tailed Baneneko demon, the demon of fire. Think about it: she has control over fire, her name means fire, and she has fire tattooed on her side. Do you need a flashing neon light that says I'm Nibi no Baneneko! That's her!**_

_I get it already, stop screaming._

As much as he hated to admit it, Gaara knew the damned demon was right and that this woman contained the two tailed beast, but he was still stuck on what Shukaku had said earlier about them being mates. If she and Shukaku were mates, then what would that eventually make him and Kaji?

_Nothing._

That was his only bitter thought as he dropped a heavy book on his desk and began to flip through the pages, looking for any information on her. This book was an older one, well over fifty years old so he knew the information was a little out of date.

Name: Nibi no Baneneko

Age: Unknown

Status: Dead

Ability: Fire Control

The demon known as Nibi no Baneneko was created when the great ten tailed beast was divided up, eight others created at the same time. She was the two tailed beasts and considered by most humans to be a ghost, just like Ichibi no Shukaku the one tailed beast.

Most records report that the beast was murdered when Ichibi no Shukaku was sealed into a tea kettle nearly two hundred years ago. Most people assume that this is the reason the one tailed demon became so cold towards the world, him once being indifferent towards humans and then growing to hate them and enjoy in their pain. The Baneneko's human form was recovered by the group that captured Ichibi no Shukaku, bringing back her body where they burned it. This is what ancient scrolls have told us what happened to her.

One thing that is known for sure about the beast though was its brute strength, agility, and control over the element fire.

_**This doesn't make any sense. The book says she's dead, the vision confirms it, and yet she still has the demon.**_

_You mean we think she does, we're not sure._

_**Then we are going to check!**_

_Eventually, it is too soon._

A sigh escaping the Kazekage's lips, he picked up the heavy book and placed it back on his shelf before returning home, the girl still sound asleep as well as the rest of the household.


	6. A Playful Kitten

As always in Suna, the sun rose at six o'clock in the morning, shining brightly on the faces of those who faced their window. Kaji was one of these people, her squinting as the bright light hit her eyes and groaning as she rolled over. Her still open window blew a cool breeze into the room, goose bumps rising on her arms as she shivered.

_Warmth. Warmth. Where are you?_

The girl sighted as she attempted to locate the blanket on the end of her bed blindly with one hand, only succeeding in throwing herself off the bed when she reached over too far with a loud 'thud', shaking the room and most likely waking half the house.

"Ow…"

She groaned in pain, propped up on her elbows as she rubbed a red spot on her forehead that was beginning to form.

"Stupid floor in my way…"

A small yawn escaped Kaji's lips as she sat up, realizing that there was sand on the floor next to her bed. This sparked her curiosity, but she passed it off to Gaara simply having sand all over the house because that was his element of choice. She groggily drew herself up from the floor, muttering and cursing as she walked over to the armoire that held her new clothes and pulling out a basic outfit for the day, a pair of black shorts once more with a black shirt. The shirt was cut to where it draped off of one shoulder and the entire back of it had horizontal tears in it, one of the styles that was supposed to be colder for this type of climate. It was then time to walk to the guest bathroom where she quickly showered and dressed.

A mere hour later, the blonde kinoshi stood in the kitchen, the smell of fresh pancakes filling the air and drifting up to the bedrooms above. She was standing over the sink, washing out the dishes in her outfit for the day, the shorts fitting exactly like the ones from the day before and the shirt loose on the shoulders but tight around her stomach, coming up to leave about four inches of her flat stomach showing. From behind her, Kankuro attempted to sneak up behind her, assuming she wasn't paying any attention until he was frozen dead in his tracks by a quiet voice.

"I wouldn't do that Kitty boy. That is, unless you want to miss out on a meal."

"How did you?..."

"I'm a ninja and to be honest, you told me you were coming down when I heard you break the vase upstairs."

"Shit…"

Turning around, the two locked eyes before they burst into a giggle fit, Kankuro starting to enjoy this girl's company.

"You're not half bad Kaji."

"Neither are you…Kitty boy"

"I resent that name."

"Get use to it and eat."

Even with her harsh words, Kaji smiled at Kankuro as she sat down next to him, picking up two pancakes and eating in silence as Kankuro shoveled down as many as he could. She honestly wondered where he put it all, but nobody was to question Kami's workings she supposed.

_Speaking of Kami, where are you?_

**_Sleeping. Go away._**

_Awwww, Kami-chan is cranky!~_

**_Zip it. I had a bad dream._**

_You dream? Since when can demons have dreams?_

**_Since the beginning of their creation, blonde._**

And so the conversation ended, the girl simply rolling her eyes as she stood up to put her plate away. She had been so caught up in her thoughts though to notice Kankuro return down stairs in his normal attire, dragging a puppet behind him. This sight brought a small smile to her face, her wondering just how strong this ninja was in comparison to her.

"Kitty boy! Where are you going? I want to come play too!"

"Ughhhh…no."

"But Kankuro-san!"

Slowly, Kankuro turned his head to stare at the odd girl, wondering why in Kami's glorious name she had so many damn mood swings!

_One day you try to kill me, the next you want to come train. Fine, two can play this game._

"Alright, you can come with me. Butttt if I beat you in a fight you have to stop calling me Kitty boy and I get a strip tease!"

"And if I win?"

"I'll…buy you a new weapon, any one you want."

"Deal! Minus the strip tease."

"…Fine."

Deep down, Kankuro knew that this was just a bad idea. But hey, who was he to resist a cute face.

* * *

"What. The. Hell! Kaji that's four sets of seven targets all struck in a row no matter where I put them! You're cheating!"

"I'm not cheating I'm just using my vast knowledge and practice to my advantage!"

"It's because you're an ANBU operative and I'm not!"

"It's because you're a lazy kitty!"

"Take that back!"

"Never!"

The new sight of the two ninjas was, to say the least, interesting. Kaji had defeated Kankuro in a fight after five minutes. All she had to do was lead a sexy magazine on the floor unattended and then she had him pinned. Most would have assumed the great Kankuro, the one ninja who was a puppet master without even trying, could have known that the random magazine was a trap, but he had not which ultimately lead to his demise. In response, he requested a little game. If Kaji could hit all seven targets five times in a row then she would win. Kaji had simply taken the task given to her, knowing she could do it easily enough.

"Alright Kankuro, last round."

"At least I'm not Kitty boy."

"Oh! I mean Kitty boy!"

"Shut up!"

It was like two children fighting over their favorite toy, or trying to figure out who would get to play who in a game of house. If nobody knew Kankuro's real relations, they would have surely assumed that Kaji was his younger more mischievous sister. This was the thoughts that ran through the great Kazekage's mind as he stared down at the duo from a tree, having awoken to enjoy his first weekend off and observe his newest ninja only to find a note on the table and fresh pancakes next to them explaining how they were going to go practice.

With an exasperated sigh, Kankuro set up all seven targets while Kaji watched, placing them in various spots that anybody would have thought impossible to hit. With a satisfied smirk, he skipped, _skipped _over to Kaji and tied a bandana around her eyes so she couldn't see.

"My rules. Now hit them!"

Instead of receiving a verbal reply, all that could be heard was the soft wind as it blew past them, tousling Kaji's fair hair into the sun's reflection as she tried to remember all of the target's quadrants. Five long minutes passed by, nothing but the heat bearing down on them as Kankuro grew exasperated and impatient, waiting for Kaji's move.

Then there were seven simultaneous thuds all around them, each kunai sinking into a target as Kaji smirked triumphantly and Kankuro's face turned red from pure embarrassment. Now he owned this odd girl a new weapon, and he had not put any restrictions in place.

"Damn you Kaji!"

"I love you Kitty boy!"

"Get back he-!"

Kaji still blindfolded, he took a jump at her, attempting to knock her down as she simply slid to the side, Kankuro landing flat on his face as he grumbled about how troublesome women were. The girl merely smiled as she removed her blindfold, dropping it on Kankuro's face as he huffed at her.

"Now I want my new weapon Kankuro."

"Fine, but first we go home so I can try to regain some dignity."

"Don't bother, I will take her."

A cold, monotonous voice broke the two's conversation, red eyes locking on those of the Kazekage's as Kaji bowed right away, her eyes reaching the floor.

"Good morning Kazek- I mean Gaara-sama. You do not have to take me though, Kankuro is the one who lost the bet."

"Either way my money will be spent so I might as well go with you."

"Hai Gaara-sama."

With a small smile, the lone female came to stand up straight, about to turn around and see Kankuro's reaction to this agreement but only finding a cloud of dust as he yelled a good bye to Kaji and kept on going.

_Jerk…You still owe me._

A hand was suddenly on her shoulder, though it was not a cold one. Surprisingly, it was warm, inviting almost and Kaji had to resist the urge to lean into it as her eyes darted back to land on Gaara, him looking down upon her before beginning to walk towards the village market place to find the girl her new weapon. The kinoshi now held herself with grace and poise before the Kazekage, walking a respectful step behind him as they started their short journey.


	7. Suprise Situations, Shopping, & Shocks

**Hello to all of my readers. I must issue a small warning about this chapter and that is that this one is rather random. At the moment, it has no real importance to the story line but parts of it will in the future. If you are truely too lazy to read the entire thing that you can understand what happens to transition to the next chapter by simply skipping to the end. This chapter is also much longer than my other ones. Thank you for everyone who has read and a special thank you to those who had reviewed!**

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The warm Suna sun beat down on the market place; temperatures were soaring to at least one hundred degrees. In that very same market place, any outsider would have assumed the place to be deserted because of the hot sun; however this was the exact opposite of what was really going on. People moved through the narrow walkway hastily, nearly everyone carrying bags as they did their weekend shopping. Casual conversations were held among townsfolk and small children ran up and down the length of the market place as they played a game of tag. From the side of town two lone figures walked up to the market place, though neither blended into the area very well. The male was one with bright red hair, making him stick out immensely and the woman who trailed him with a slight skip in her step did no better with her platinum colored hair. Nobody bothered to even spare a glance at the pair, all very aware of the fact that the male was their Kazekage and the female was a visiting woman whom the Kazekage had invited to stay for the duration of her mission.

"What do you want for your new weapon?"

"Huh?"

Hearing someone suddenly speak to her, Kaji turned her head to look at the Kazekage, a small smile on her face as she saw him peering at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Ummm, well I don't really need any new weapons Gaara-sama. It was simply a childish game that I decided to play with Kankuro-san."

"He still made the bet."

"I am aware of that fact Gaara-sama."

"You're a strange girl. Are you aware of that? I have never known someone to have such mood swings when simply in the presence of someone else."

A silent sigh escaped the girl's pale lips as her gaze flickered away from Gaara, knowing that she did become more professional when in his presence. Her thoughts began to wander, wondering if it was simply for the reason that he was the Kazekage that she would suddenly become like this, but they were interupted as the laughter of two boys and the cries of a small girl fluttered to her ears. Two small boys were suddenly running past her while trailed by a little girl and before Gaara even knew it, the woman herself was gone. By the time the Kazekage realized her energy had left his side, she was already interviening in the situation.

About ten yard in front of Gaara stood Kaji, her body blocking the two younger boys who were running with a doll in their hands. They each had matching honey colored hair with freckles across their face and golden eyes, a sight that made Kaji laugh internally at their similarities. However, when they saw the woman in front of them both came to a halt as they tried to hide the doll behind their backs from the woman who gave off a powerful presence.

"Hello. Is that toy yours?"

"Ummm…"

The boy on the left bit his lip as he slowly backed away from the woman in front of them, the little girl running into his back before falling to the floor and causing a wave of dust to fly up from where she had landed.

By now, Gaara had come to a halt behind the scene, watching with curiosity as Kaji smiled at the boys kindly and held her pale hand out to them, not notcing that Gaara had walked up to them. The girl who had fallen to the ground stayed there though, her emerald orbs filled with bright tears.

"Can I have that please? I know it is not yours and you wouldn't want to get in trouble with your mother."

"It's none of your business lady. Go away."

"Well that is not very nice of you."

Kaji now had to resist the urge to laugh at the boy on the right, the more dominant of the twin boys as he puffed out his chest to look larger. Of course she wasn't intimidated by them, pulling her hand back as she observed them closely.

"How about I make you a deal boys."

Smiling at the two, the woman sat on the ground, the twins staring at her with mild curiosity as she pulled out two kunai from her shoes, though neither looked like kunai really. The handles were longer and easier to grip and they were both wrapped in black cloth to allow for a steady grip. The blades to the kunai were also duller and obviously worn down from being used so much though they still shinned as if they were brand new.

"These are special training kunai that I used when I was your age. You guys can have them if you give me the doll. These are specially made so you can't hurt yourself and they would help you a lot so you can be ready to enter the academy here."

Looking at each other, the more dominant of the boys pulled his twin over as he whispered to him. The two tried to be quiet, whispering among themselves quickly as they discussed the deal. Eventually, they both nodded and turned to Kaji, ready to tell her that they agreed and all she could do was giggle. The more timid twin walked up to her and handed her the doll that he had been trying to hide, taking the kunais in his hand with a smile instead. It was obvious to Kaji that he had never had his own kunai and that he was very excited. Silently, his brother grabbed his arm as they ran off to go see what they could do with their new training gear. The soft cloth of the doll now laid in Kaji's hands as she looked it over, noticing that it was made to resemble a girl who looked strangely like her. The only difference was the clothing, her wearing her usual black and red outfit and the doll wearing a lilac dress. Once her ovservations were over, she stood, dusting the sand from her pants as she walked over to the little girl and kneeled before her.

The small child trembled as she looked up at Kaji, a few tears seen streaming down her face which made it clear that she had become extremely upset over what had happened. The child couldn't have been more than six years old in Kaji's mind long black hair falling down her back to the back of her thighs. She was wearing a simple brown dress, the ends shredded lightly from simply being worn out and a green sash tied around the middle to accent the girl's hair. A soft smile played across Kaji's lips as she held the doll out to the girl, offering it to her in a gentle manner. Still, the little girl was clearly scared, not even taking the doll as she sucked on her thumb silently while her other arm was wrapped around her torso.

"Is this yours?"

The woman held the doll out to the girl once more, pushing it closer to the girl as she nodded silently.

"Would you like her back?"

"Yesh please."

The girl's voice was soft and her apprehensive nature made Kaji giggle as she placed the doll in the girl's hand, then reaching down to pick the girl up from the dust and stand her on her own two feet. Emerald eyes sparkled in the light as she looked up at Kaji, sniffling lightly as Kaji quickly held up a finger to tell the girl to wait a moment.

Very quietly, Kaji reached down to the desert floor, taking a pile of golden sand in her hand and enclosing it within her pale fingers. A few moments later, she reopened her fingers, showing the girl a flower made of glass with an intricate design of sand grains embedded in it, making the glass sparkle with golden flakes. The glass flower resembled a lily, the grains running up and around the flower as they twisted and turned to form different patterns everywhere. The young girl gasped as she looked at the flower amazed, reaching out to touch it gently.

"Ish so pwetty."

"It is also yours."

Smiling at her, Kaji pulled a ribbon from her pocket and attacked the flower to it before motioning for the girl to turn around. The girl complied as Kaji smiled at her, pulling her raven out of her face as she tied half of her hair up, the flower sticking up to glisten in the sun on the back of the child's head. The child smiled brightly as she pulled her finger from her mouth, squishing her doll to her chest as she hugged Kaji's side.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome. Now go play."

With a nod, the small child was gone, running off to go where she wanted. Gaara, who had been standing there the entire time, finally made is presence known to her, clearing his throat as Kaji looked up to him and simply shrugged. It was clear that he was curious as to why she had done that for no reason, but Kaji ignored his glances as she simply walked into the weapons shop on her right side, vanishing into the cool shade the shop offered her.

_**You're a strange girl, do you know that?**_

_Of course I do Kami. I love being the strange girl I am._

_**You know, you should really get away from what's-his-face as soon as you can. I do not like him.**_

_And I dislike the snow but that does not change anything. Why don't you just shush._

_**Fine, then I will.**_

_Thank you._

_**You're not welcome. Buy the sebon needles that you could use as hair pieces by the way.**_

Rolling her eyes and sighing, Kaji only began to wonder through the shop, looking at everything with a curious red gaze. Kaji knew she had surely walked into the right shop, the walls lined with nearly every type of weapon a shinobi would need. Kami's words rang in the back of Kaji's mind though as she began to rummage around the shop, looking for the supposed needles that would come in handy. Nearly five minutes later, she stood at the counter of the shop, a pair of silver sebon needles in her hands with intricate black and red carvings on them and matching flowers that sat ontop of the ends. They truly looked like a hair accessory, but she knew that the flowers were actually there to hold poison that would kill anyone whom the sebon pierced. Kaji's pale hand slowly reached over as she rang the silver bell on the counter, a plump gentleman in his forties strolling out with a smile as he looked at the kinoshi.

"Hello ma'ma. How can I help you?"

"She would like to buy those, or I would to be more precise."

Both the man's eyes and Kaji's flickered back to peer at Gaara who stood behind Kaji now, his sea foam eyes staring at Kaji's bright red ones. A small smile graced her lips as she nodded, the stunned shop keeper quickly taking the needles and ringing up the purchase; his reason for being stunned was simply, he had never expected the Kazekage to come into his shop let alone buy something for a kinoshi other than his sister. Within a few seconds, he handed the sebons back to the woman, them now wrapped in black cloth lined with red and silver patterns of flowers. Gaara paid the man what he asked before grabbing Kaji's upper arm and pulling her out of the shop and down the street to the market place, not saying another word. Kaji never let out a noise of complaint though, simply following him as she was lead off to the Kazekage's mansion.

Ten silent minutes went by, ten long silent minutes as Kaji walked next to the Kazekage back to his home. He had finally released her once they were out of the market place and any crowds, letting her walk on her own. A sigh slipped Kaji's lips as she wished this long walk would come to an end, simply wanting to go back to her room for a while and perhaps take a shower to get off the sweat from practice. When they finally got back to the mansion though, Gaara made no noise, simply walking to the front door and going inside. He left the wooden door open though letting Kaji enter as well which she did before silently shutting it to keep the sand out. Without even looking around, she knew that nobody else was in the house so walked up to her room without a word, leaving Gaara to do whatever he did when he had free time.

A small sigh slipping the woman's lips, she simply walked into her room and opened the armoire where her bag was, pulling the material open as she placed her sebon inside. For a moment, she simply stood there, debating on if she should take out a pair of clean clothes. Soon she decided against it though, figuring that it did not matter since she planned on napping for now anyways. She then proceeded to close the bag up so nobody could get into it. Once everything was away, Kaji closed the dark wooden doors and spun around, gasping in shock as her face came only centimeters from Gaara's emotionless one. In less than a second, his hands pinned her to the armoire doors, his sea foam eyes boring into her red ones as a low growl slipped his lips and echoed in the room. She was too shocked to say anything, his gaze telling her not to move as he leaned closer to her face, her pushing her head against the cold wood in an attempt to get farther from him out of instinct. He lips reached her ear, whispering harshly into it as she stood there imobolized.

"Tell Nibi that Shukaku wishes to speak with her."


	8. Running from the Essence of Evil

**Hello everyone. I apologize for the long pause in this story, but I am ready to continue it once more. The plot is about to get more intricate, so be prepared for more twists and turns. I thank everyone who has reviewed and supported me in writing this story; all of your encouragement is greatly appreciated. Enjoy!**

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"Who?"

That was the only phrase that Kaji could get to pass her pale lips as she stared up at the marooned hair boy who had her pinned to her armoire, her eyes full of a feeling she had not felt in years; fear. His eyes were filled with that of seething anger, his curiosity of the girl clouded by his demon's emotions. In his mind, he knew that Kaji held the demon Nibi no Baneneko but in Kaji's mind, all she knew was that her demon was named Kami.

"You heard me."

"I do not know what you are talking about. The demon Nibi no Baneneko is dead."

Gaara's face remained rather emotionless, except for the feelings evident through his gaze. He wanted answers and all this girl was giving him was useless information, something that was making him angry, not just the demon within him.

"Shukaku wants to speak with her. Now."

"Sorry, but I do not know where Nibi no Baneneko is let alone if she is really alive."

Growls. Feral growls of hatred vibrated through the room as sand began to flitter across the floor uneasily. Kaji was left unfazed by it though, simply ducking out from under Gaara's arms and walking over to her bed. The male was on her tail though, following behind her closely as the sand started to whirl around the room.

"Nibi, get your ass out here now."

The cold voice that came from the Kazekage made Kaji's blood run cold. Her spine tingled with the instinct to run. Tremors ran through her body, tremors of fear. At that moment, she knew that she was no longer dealing with the Kazekage for it was not his voice that escaped his pale lips. Instead, it was one much deeper and one that frightened her immensely; Ichibi no Shukaku.

**_Kaji! Kaji, wake up! I said to avoid the jinchuriki and now would be a great time to take my advice. Get out!_**

_Kami, why does he think your Nibi no Baneneko._

**_Just get out you stupid girl!_**

Inside her mind, Kaji began yelled the demon's name over and over, but received no response. What brought her out of her trance of attempting to contact the hiding demon was the feeling of sand crawling up her leg and a deep voice blowing warm air against her ear.

"Nibi, I missed you. Now come out and play with me. You cannot just run off and play dead again for if you do, I will have to kill you myself."

"Get away from me!"

Kaji spun around, pushing Gaara away as she darted for the window in an attempt to escape. The sand that was wrapped around her leg scrapped her and caused a trickle of blood to appear, her not paying any mind to it as she slipped out the window faster than the sand could grab her leg and bring her back inside to the house. The eyes of Shukaku looked at the window that the woman had just slipped through, his gaze slowly fluttering down to the droplets of blood on the floor as his sand ran over them, absorbing them into his sand before he too slipped out the window to follow her.

Now, Kaji flashed from roof top to roof top, trying to make the hand signs to appear in the desert. Her instincts screamed for her to run, to flee, to get the hell away from him, but her intelligence said to avoid large areas of sand since Shukaku was a sand demon after all.

_I have to throw him off the trail, get back to my home. My mission is ending now. There is no reason to stay._

**_Focus on one spot deep in the desert, we can send a large amount of chakara to the area and he will think you are there as well. Focus on an oasis about fifty miles from here to the east._**

_Good idea. _

Without delay, she began to form hand signs, focusing her energy on a spot in the desert not too far from an oasis. The spot was deep in the land of nothing, far enough away from the Village Hidden in the Leaves that she could get there before he could catch her. Within a moment, an energy signature greater than her own appeared in the very spot, taking the form of a girl identical to Kaji. The use of energy made the girl feel weak, but she just continued to dart across the searing roof tops as she headed to an area where Gaara could not find her. She hid there, keeping herself low to the ground behind a building, panting hard at the lack of chakara. It was as if the amount of chakara she normally held was suddenly gone. In fact, it was as if Kami had left her body all together. These curious thoughts were the ones that flew through her mind as she attempted to calm herself, waiting out the jinchuriki.

One minute…Two minutes…Three minutes…Seven minutes…Ten minutes…

Ten minutes, that was how long it took for the other jinchuriki's chakara to vanish from Suna and appear on the path towards the decoy. With any luck, Kaji knew she could get back to the palace, grab her bag, leave a note for Kankuro and Temari, and run back to her own home.

Her hands pressed together, she summoned what strength she could to appear in the Kazekage's Palace, her legs shaking with the strain on her body. She was holding up a decoy stronger than her own signature miles away from here and she was continuing to use advanced jutsu. At this rate, she would pass out within the hour.

Shaking pale hands ripped the armoire open as she pulled out her packed bag, grabbing a piece of loose parchment from the front compartment and a pen as she darted to Temari's room. There, she furiously scribbled a note and left it on Temari's dresser. The message reading as followed:

Temari-san,

Thank you for your hospitality these two days. Something urgent has arisen and I must return home. I hope to see you one day soon. Please tell Kitty Boy that I will miss him dearly as well.

Sincerely,

Kaji Megami

**Run.**

* * *

_Bag. Check. Note. Check. Getting the hell out of Suna before I'm killed. Check._

Kaji was on the outskirts of Suna, sprinting in the direction of her own village. She did not bother to put on her ANBU clock or mask, forgetting them in her bag as she focused on the lush green forest that lay before her. At her rate, she would be out of the desert in thirty minutes. At Gaara's rate, he would be at her temporary distraction in twenty five minutes. That left five minutes to make up. Her nails dug into her palm, her running even faster as the loose grains of sand ripped through the open wound on her leg. One thought ran through her mind over and over though, one she could not shake.

_Why am I running? I am the container of a demon myself, yet that man's words send me into a frenzy and make me want to run like a five year old. There is something about him, something that makes me desperately want to flee from his grasp as if I knew that if he got near me, I would not last long._

She thought this over as she ran as fast as she could towards the land she knew she was safe in, the one without sand. Her calculations of time were eerily correct for Gaara, but luckily she had run just fast enough to make it to the outskirts of the forest in twenty four minutes.

_Sixty seconds to spare. Now to go home. Lady Tsunade is not expecting me home for five more days so until then, I am staying put._

Pale hands formed intricate hand signs as she vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind of her having even been in the deserts of Suna. The woman with blonde hair appeared before her home, swaying lightly from the massive lose of chakara in such a short amount of time. She knew that after a good nap she would be well enough to continue her day, but until then she was simply going to sleep. Her dulling red eyes looked up at her home now, one that was well hidden by a secret jutsu only her and one other person knew. The home she stood in front of was a three story mansion. It was painted dark colors, vines weaving their way up the sides of the building and tangling in the balconies of the third floor. The house looked old, abandoned even, and the only sign of life in the home was a set of three flower pots sitting on one of the balconies with large flowers blooming from it. Obviously this house would have blended into the scenery of the forest too easily. A sigh of relief slipped Kaji's lips, her letting her guard down, that was, until she felt a large energy surge from the porch of the home. There, a woman sat, raven hair glistening in the sun and blood red eyes peering back. Her chakara was one that would have sent most running for their lives, the chakara signature of the Blood Demon.

"Kaji-chan! So good to see you!"

* * *

The Kazekage stood now before the oasis of the lost desert. It was one that few could find, and one that Kaji had apparently run off to. A smirk was formed across his usually emotionless face, looking over as his eyes landed on that of a woman sitting on the edge of the oasis. She was perched on a large rock, pale skin complimented by a white dress and long pale hair that blew in the desert winds. Shukaku smirked internally, taking full control over Gaara's body against his will and shoving Gaara himself to the deepest parts of his mind as he slowly approached the woman. However, once he was within five feet of grabbing her arm and ripping her from her perch, her head spun around, an innocent smile painted on her pale lips and an odd pair of eyes staring back at the bright yellow ones that showed Shukaku's control; one eye yellow, one eye green.

"Hello Shukaku-san. Did you miss me?"

"_Nibi._"


End file.
